Inspiration strikes VC-310 COMPACT ON-CAMERA TTL FLASH User’s Manual
Copyright © 2016 Gradus Group. Bolt and other names of Bolt products are trademarks of Gradus Group. Other product and corporate names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.
Introduction Thank you for choosing Bolt. The VC-310 is a compact, full-featured shoe-mount flash for your Sony, Olympus/ Panasonic, or Fujifilm camera. This advanced digital flash puts creative control in your hands with a broad range of automatic and manual features. It can be used as both an on-camera flash and a wireless slave flash.
Contents Overview ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6-7 Warnings ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8-9 Installing Batteries ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10 Mounting the Fl
Specifications ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 27 Troubleshooting ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������28-29 FCC Compliance �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 30 One-Year Limited Warranty ������
1 12 17 Made in China 11 10 2 9 3 4 8 7 5 6 | Overview 6 13 16 15 14
Overview 18 19 20 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Flash head Flash test button Mode button Flash ready indicator Left arrow Set button Right arrow F1 function button F2 function button Power button LCD panel Flash head position indicator (tilt) 13. Micro USB port 14. Mounting foot 15. Locking wheel 16. Optical sensor 17. Battery compartment with cover 18. Flash stand 19. Diffuser 20.
Warnings Before using your VC-310, please read the following safety notices thoroughly to ensure safe use and to help prevent damage to your flash or injury to yourself or others. • Do not fire the flash at close range directly into the eyes of people or animals. • To avoid overheating and damaging your flash unit, please wait for at least ten minutes after thirty continuous flashes at full power (page 13). • Do not disassemble or attempt to repair this product yourself.
• Do not clean the VC-310 with agents containing corrosive or flammable substances such as paint thinner, benzene, or nail polish remover. • This product is not water resistant. Keep it away from rain, snow, humidity, and general moisture. • Should the VC-310 sustain physical damage, do not touch any exposed interior metal parts. If touched, they may generate an electric shock or cause a malfunction. Promptly remove the batteries and take the product to an authorized service center for repair.
Installing Batteries The VC-310 can be powered by two AA batteries of several types: • Lithium (1.5 V) • Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) (1.2 V) • Alkaline (1.5 V) 1. 2. 3. 4. Turn the flash upside down. Press the button on the battery compartment cover so the cover flips open. Insert two AA batteries (not included) according to the diagrams inside the battery compartment. Close the battery compartment cover until it clicks. When the battery power is low, the battery indicator [ the LCD.
Mounting the Flash 1 To mount the flash on your camera, make sure the VC-310 is turned off and follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. Rotate the locking wheel counterclockwise to loosen it. Slide the mounting foot all the way into your camera’s hot shoe. Rotate the locking wheel clockwise until secure. 2 To dismount the flash from your camera, make sure the VC-310 is turned off and follow these steps: 1. 2. Rotate the locking wheel counterclockwise to release the flash.
Turning On the Flash and Firing a Test Shot To turn the flash on, press and hold the power button until the LCD illuminates. To turn the flash off, hold the power button for approximately two seconds. Flash ready indicator: The flash ready indicator lets you know when the flash is ready to fire again. The indicator will blink red when charging and remain lit when the flash is ready to fire. To fire a test flash, press the Test button.
Overheating protection mode: If the operating temperature of the VC-310 is too high after several full-power flashes, the flash will enter the overheating protection mode. The thermal warning indicator [TP-HI] will appear on the LCD, and you should let the flash cool down for a period of 2–5 minutes.
To reset the VC-310SMI to its original settings, follow these steps: 1. 2. Make sure the flash is off. Press and hold the Test and Power buttons for 3 seconds, then release. To reset the VC-310OP to its original settings, follow these steps: 1. 2. Make sure the flash is off. Press and hold the Test and Power buttons until the flash turns on, then release. To reset the VC-310F to its original settings, follow these steps: 1. 2. Make sure the flash is on.
Automatic TTL Flash Mode 1 2 3 Overview TTL +0 7EV IS0100 F5 6 4 1. 2. 3. 4. TTL flash mode Flash exposure compensation ISO value Aperture value When the VC-310 is mounted on a compatible TTL camera, it can set the appropriate flash level automatically, in conjunction with the camera’s through-the-lens (TTL) metering system. To use the automatic TTL flash mode, mount the flash on the camera and follow these steps: 1. 2.
3. 4. Press the shutter release button on your camera halfway to ensure that the camera is communicating with the flash. The camera’s aperture settings will appear on the flash LCD, and a flash icon will appear in the camera’s viewfinder. Press your camera’s shutter release button to take the picture.
Manual Flash Mode 1 2 M 1/128 +0 3 EV IS0100 F5 6 Overview 1. 2. Manual flash mode Manual flash output power You can set the VC-310’s flash output level manually, for greater creative control over your images. The 1/1 setting is the full-power flash, and each successive setting halves the light output, all the way down to 1/128. You can also fine-tune the flash output in 1/3 increments. To use the manual mode, turn the flash and camera on and follow these steps: 1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6. 7. Press the right or left arrows to increase or decrease to the desired flash output level. Press the Set button to confirm. Press your camera’s shutter release button to take the picture. Adjust your camera’s exposure settings and the flash’s light output level as needed. When adjusting exposure settings on your camera, the highest shutter speed available will be your camera’s flash sync speed. Tip: For best results when shooting in manual flash mode, use a handheld light meter.
Bouncing Your Flash The VC-310 flash head can tilt down to -7° and up at 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90° angles to the lens. It can also swivel horizontally 90° to the right and 60° to the left. Using flash to directly illuminate a subject often creates harsh, unnatural, and unattractive shadows. The flash can be tilted or swiveled, allowing you to aim your flash at a large white or neutral-colored surface, such as a ceiling, wall, or reflector.
Stroboscopic Mode (VC-310SMI and VC-310OP models only) • • • • Multi flash mode 1 MULTI Multi power output 2 1/128 5T−7Hz Time (number of flashes) 3 Flash frequency IS0100 F5 6 TIME Hz Overview 4 1. 2. 3. 4. Stroboscopic flash indicator Stroboscopic output power Time (number of flashes) Flash frequency The stroboscopic mode fires the flash multiple times in quick succession during a single exposure.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Press the Set button to highlight the flash output power level, and adjust with the right and left arrows. Press the Set button to confirm. Press the F1 function button to change the Time. This will set the number of flashes that fire per exposure. Use the right and left arrows to adjust the amount. Press the Set button to confirm. Press the F2 function button [Hz] to change the frequency, or the number of flashes per second. Use the right and left arrows to adjust.
Manual Optical Slave Modes S1/S2 1 2 S1 1/128 +0 3 EV Overview 1. 2. 3. S1/S2 indicator Power output Slave mode Using the manual optical slave feature, the VC-310 can be set to fire whenever it detects a light signal from any flash. This works optically—when the VC-310 “sees” another flash firing, it will instantaneously fire along with it. In order to ensure that the VC-310 fires at the correct time, there are two different slave modes available: S1 and S2.
To set the VC-310 to manual optical slave mode S1/S2, follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Press the Mode button repeatedly until the S1 or S2 indicator appears on the LCD. VC-310F and VC-310OP: Press the Set button to highlight the output level. VC-310SMI: Press the Set button so that the output level blinks. Use the left and right arrows to adjust the output level from 1/1 to 1/128. Press the Set button to confirm your settings.
Positioning the Slave and Remote Flash Units You can create various professional lighting setups by positioning slave units individually or in groups to function as main, fill, accent, and other lights. Metering your scene with a handheld light meter and setting your light ratios to achieve specific looks will give you a professional level of creative control.
• The wireless optical TTL sensor is located on the front of the VC-310. Make sure that the sensor is facing the master flash and that there are no obstructions between the two units. • When photographing outdoors or in bright ambient light, the optical sensors may be overwhelmed by ambient light, which will lower their sensitivity. • To avoid creating interference between flash units, using more than three in a single group is not recommended.
Stroboscopic Reference This chart shows the maximum number of flashes possible for any given frequency/flash output combination.
Specifications Type On-camera and wireless TTL automatic and manual flash Compatible cameras VC-310F: Fujifilm models with support for Fujifilm TTL flash systems VC-310OP: Panasonic and Olympus models with support for Panasonic and Olympus TTL flash systems VC-310SMI: Sony models with support for P-TTL flash systems Guide number (at 50 mm focal length, ISO 100) GN 32 Flash recycle time Approx.
Troubleshooting Problem Solution The flash is stuck in the camera hot shoe. Make sure that the locking wheel is released (page 11). The flash is turned on but won’t fire. • Make sure that fresh batteries are installed and in the proper orientation (page 10). • Make sure the flash is securely attached to the camera (page 11). • Make sure that the electrical contacts on the foot of the flash are not dirty. Clean them and try again. • The flash has entered overheating protection mode.
Problem Solution The flash is set up as a wireless slave, but the light is not noticeable in the picture. • Make sure that the master flash is within the transmission range, and that the wireless sensor on the slave is pointing toward the master flash. Remove any obstructions in the line of sight between the two (page 24). • The ambient light may be too high (page 24). The edges of the images look dark. Make sure that the flash output power setting corresponds to the focal length of your lens.
FCC Compliance This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. 2. This device may not cause harmful interference. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
One-Year Limited Warranty This BOLT product is warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal consumer use for a period of one (1) year from the original purchase date or thirty (30) days after replacement, whichever occurs later.
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